A Promise Sealed With a Rose
by NextGeneration18
Summary: Originally called "The Way Jason Was." Slight AU where Tim died instead Jason only he doesn't come back. Grief-stricken, Jason decides to leave without saying goodbye to everybody...except somebody catches him. Loosely based off of Brad Pitt's Legends of the Fall. Sorry, bad at summaries. Pairings: Jason/fem Damian Bruce/Selina and Dick/Barbara


18-year-old Jason Todd crammed his clothes into a suitcase and zipped it up. The grief was taking over him and he had to get away…away from this mansion and everyone in it. Where he was going, he didn't know. And quite frankly, Jason didn't care at the moment. He was going to leave without saying goodbye, but was going to leave letters for each one of the makeshift family members he had lived with for the last three years.

He started off with Bruce by writing how that he was glad that he took him in, and apologized for being such a failure and not living up to Dick's potential.

He wrote Selina's letter next by thanking her for understanding him and his street smart ways and that she deserved a better son.

Dick's was next and Jason tried to be nice about it. He genuinely apologized for thinking he could live up to him and that he was sorry for taking his place as Robin.

Now it was time for Dami's…Jason paused the pen over the paper. What would he say to her? That another one of her big brothers was leaving her? That he was just going to pack up and leave without saying goodbye to her face-to-face? Out of all of the Bat family members, Damiana Wayne was the one he got along with the most, save Tim. She listened and she was the only family member that he would accept a hug from. She had found a special place in his heart to live in and never left. He never saw her as a little sister per se, in fact, he didn't know how he viewed her at all! But she caused him to reconsider what he was doing. He tapped the pen on his desk thoughtfully. He had to leave; he knew that much. But he could do it face-to-face right? Shake hands with Bruce, Dick and Alfred, hug Selina and Dami before driving off into the bleak sunset?

No, it wouldn't be that simple. Bruce and Dick would be angry that he would be leaving so soon after Tim died and Selina and Dami would beg for him to stay. He wasn't sure if he could handle Dami's tears…

No, this was the only way. Jason pulled himself back to the present and focused on what he was going to write to Dami, but he didn't know what. Anything he would write would seem like a lame excuse as to why he was leaving. In the end, Jason settled on writing that he was sorry that he was leaving her and would be back someday, though he wasn't sure if that was the truth. It was short, but as heartfelt as Jason Todd could get on paper.

He moved on to Alfred's letter thanking him for being a good butler and grandfather figure to him over the years.

After he was done with it, he folded up each letter and put them in envelopes, then sealed them and wrote each of their names with care and stuck them in his black leather jacket pocket. He would leave them on the dining room table for all to see when they got up. The sun was just rising so he didn't have long…

* * *

14-year-old Damiana Wayne walked outside with a rose in her hand. She hadn't been able to sleep well after the Bat family's patrol so she got up early to watch the sunrise. She missed Tim and how he was always there for her and everyone else. Quiet as he was, he was a vital part of the Wayne family.

Suddenly the sound of a motorcycle starting filled the early morning air. Dami scrunched her eyebrows together. Who was going out this early?

She turned the corner and saw Jason load a suitcase onto the back of his red motorcycle. Dami felt her blood run cold. Why was he loading a suitcase onto the back of his motorcycle?

Jason got on the motorcycle and gunned it.

Dami somehow unglued herself and took off running.

"Wait! Jason, wait!"

He didn't seem to hear her over the roar of the motorcycle as he took off toward the open gate.

Dami undaunted continued to try and chase him down. He wasn't leaving was he? He couldn't!

Jason seemed to see her from the corner of his eyes because he turned his head suddenly surprised that she was up before the sun.

"Wait!" she slipped on the dew drenched grass and fell down hard on her chest and the rose falling out of her hand just as Jason exited the front gate.

* * *

What was she doing up? Damiana had always been an early riser, but never _this_ early! Of all the people to see him leave! Jason decided to give in to the desire to say goodbye to her and put on the brakes just outside the front gate.

He got off and turned around to see Dami kneeling on the grace her arms crossed over her chest herself back and forth like she was in pain. Had she fallen? The front of her shirt was wet. She had.

"Dami, are you okay?" he ran and knelt in front of her not caring if his jeans got wet and put his hands on her shoulders.

Dami opened her eyes and took a few deep breaths as if the wind had gotten knocked out of her. It probably had due to the sudden impact.

"That had to have hurt; let me help you up." he gently helped her up by the waist and set her on her feet. "There."

Dami's pretty almond shaped green eyes filled with tears.

"Are you leaving, Jason?"

This just a whole less easier. This was one of the reasons he wanted to leave before she was up.

He raked his fingers through his black hair streaked with white and blew out a breath.

"Yeah. I am."

"Why?"

 _ **Why!?**_ he felt like growling. But he didn't. This was Damiana and he never growled at her.

"I just need to get away."

"From Dad? Mom? Dick?"

"Everything."

Dami lowered her eyes to the ground.

"Me?"

Jason felt as if someone had punched him in the chest. He placed his hands on her shoulders again.

"Damiana," he whispered, "Look at me."

She swallowed and looked up at him trying not to cry.

"You're the one person that I don't feel like running away from."

"Then stay, please…for me?"

He tilted his head sadly.

"It's not that simple."

"Then explain; I'm not 11 anymore."

"No, you're not. But it's something even I can't explain. I need to get away…I need to-"

"Run?" the intensity of her eyes made him want to look away, "'Cause that's basically what you're doing: running away from your problems."

She had to put it that way. Not that she was wrong, but "Getting away" made it sound a little less cowardly.

He didn't answer her, and Dami didn't hesitate.

"And once you start, you won't stop, Jason. Never." A tear slid down her cheek and Jason wiped it away. "You'll always been running." she leaned into his hand and Jason cupped her cheek. Something within him changed at that very moment towards her, though he couldn't place what. Whatever it was though, it kind of scared him.

Her eyes pleaded with him like they never had before.

"Please, Jason; don't leave. We need you; _I_ need you."

Something about that last line called to Jason but he didn't know what or why. He smiled sadly.

"They don't need me."

"Then you're blind; you don't know _how_ much they need you; especially now." She started to cry softly seemingly unable to hold back any longer.

Jason's heart officially melted and he pulled her into his arms.

"Don't cry, Dami; please."

She wrapped her arms around him and his heart began to beat faster.

"You're leaving; how can I not?"

Jason rocked her back and forth and in that moment he knew. He would leave for a while, but he would be back. If for anything, so he could see Dami again.

"I'm just going to clear my head, okay? I'll be back, Dami; I promise."

By now Dami was just sniffling. She pulled back and looked at him suspiciously.

"Do you mean it?"

"I mean it." he looked at her seriously.

Dami raised an eyebrow.

"Come on; if I was lying you would've picked it up by now." the corner of his mouth curved slightly into a smile.

Dami smiled back sadly.

"You're right." She was the only one who could tell when he was lying about something every. Single. Time. Even Bruce couldn't do that. Her eyes turned back to her appearance of border line torture.

"When will you come back?"

Jason's small smile disappeared and he looked away.

"I don't know." he looked at her again, "All I know is that I'll be back to see you." he picked up the fallen rose off of the ground and handed it to her.

"A sign of my promise?" he squeezed her shoulders.

Dami looked at him seriously eyes full of maturity and wisdom beyond her age, something she had inherited from her father.

"I'll hold you to it." she finally said putting her nose to the flower.

"That's my girl." he squeezed her free hand and started to walk back to his waiting motorcycle.

"Jason, wait."

Jason turned around and Dami tackled him in one last hug. He grunted then put his arms around her.

After a moment she pulled back then stood on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek.

"Don't stay away too long," her eyes were full of a longing he couldn't place, "Please."

For a brief moment, he wanted to stay, then pushed the desire away.

"It won't be forever," he said, "I'll be in touch." He knew it sounded lame but hoped it would bring assurance to her. Her expression fell at his lack of promise.

"Goodbye, Jason."

"Goodbye, Dami; I'll be back soon."

Her expression was sober.

"Never soon enough."

Well at least she was honest. He walked the small distance to his motorcycle and mounted it. He put back on his helmet, strapped it, then turned around and gave Dami a two-fingered solute before gunning the engine.

He felt guilty and strangely bereft as he turned into the paved back road. He had a sinking feeling that getting away for a while wouldn't be as rewarding as he originally thought it would.

* * *

Dami covered her mouth initially to keep her sobs from escaping before giving into her grief; it wasn't like anyone was there watching. Not anymore.

She decided to hide in the backyard gazebo where no one would see if they were to look out the window. Once she got there, she sat on the seat, laid the rose on her lap and wept bitterly.

She had lost two brother in three months. One to the Joker and the other to Tim's death. She missed Tim terribly, but having Jason leave was like ripping her in half. He was the only one who meant to her the way he did. The one she followed around from the day he showed up as a 15-year-old street boy. The one whom she could hug at any time and he would never push away no matter how many times she did it. The one she could wake up in the middle of the night and he would listen to whatever she had to say. The one she loved in the way she did. She had know from day one that she would fall in love with Jason Todd despite their age difference, and, as long as he was there her love for him grew. She had tried to keep it under wraps but she was sure that her parents knew, if not the whole world. It was hard hiding love for someone that you lived with. She knew he probably saw her like a little sister, but that didn't stop her from loving him.

And now he was gone. With a promise that he'd be back, but gone nonetheless.

He'd always been wild, restless, and reckless, but she'd never thought he'd _leave_ , even when Tim died.

But maybe that was just her hoping. Maybe her hope and love blinded her from seeing the truth, that, of all the Robins, Jason had always been the most likely one _to_ leave.

He loved the Bat Family; Dami knew that. But not enough be selfless and stay to help everyone grieve and move on from Tim's death. There was love and kindness in him but with a profound streak of selfishness.

It was just the way Jason Todd was.


End file.
